That reminds me... when I went to the first eye doctor (optometrist), they asked if I was there for an eye exam for glasses. I said yes, but explained that I'm also having these "flashes" that I'm concerned about. Well, the assistant quickly swapped forms and asked me for my medical ID card (instead of vision coverage.) She said any 'issues' are filed under medical coverage and that my "vision insurance" would cover a regular exam and glasses. Whatever!! The good news is, between the two eye doctor visits, exams, eyeball photos, etc. I have satisfied my $300 deductible for health coverage this year.
I'm shocked at what just getting new lenses put in my existing frames costs (I do transitions rather than bifocals.) There are no discount places nearby so I get it done by the eye doctor. I know that's the most expensive option, and while insurance takes care of part of it, there's still a chunk left over for me to pay. And insurance does seem to over-complicate things.
I haven't even had my exam for glasses yet. The ophthalmologist said I should wait until after I see him again next month. So my current glasses are over 2 years old now thanks to Covid and cancer.
Yeh, I guess you should wait for your vision to settle down before defining a script. I'm on an every-other-year cycle for getting new glasses. I'm glad my vision is not deteriorating faster than that...I've only been wearing glasses since I hit my mid 40s.
I've only been wearing "real" glasses for about 5 or 6 years. Before that I was the Reader Queen with 22,342 pairs of readers scattered over every surface in the house and car. I don't think my vision has changed much because I could read the smallest line on the "test" they gave me last week, with one or both eyes. I thought the peripheral vision test was interesting, where they had me cover one eye and look at a certain point, then they'd hold up a hand and ask me how many fingers (in the periphery). I guess I passed the audition.
So today is the anniversary of my first chemo treatment last year. Wow, in some ways that seems like yesterday, and in others it seems like a lifetime ago. I saw my oncologist and the surgeon for followup "surveillance" visits this week. I had a nice discussion with the oncologist and when the appointment ended, I took his hand and said "thank you for saving my life." It was very emotional... he got tears in his eyes and of course I was all choked up. I can't express enough my admiration for this doctor. In other news, the surgeon's assistant did computer measurements of my arms (measured dimensions and volume). The measurements were compared against the baseline measurements taken before my surgery last August. I am part of a study for the efficacy of the lymphovenous bypass surgery so they are following my progress for a year or so. My right arm (surgery side) has slightly increased (2%) but not enough to be classified "lymphedema," at least for now. So I have some more stretches and exercises to do. It's beginning to seem like I have to focus on cancer after-effects for a large portion of my days now. For some reason I thought when treatment ended, I'd go about my business as usual, but sadly that is not the case. Cancer will always loom large in what remains of my life. Tomorrow I'm getting my 2nd Covid vaccine and I'll be done with that. I have no plans to get any boosters going forward.
Got Covid Pfizer #2 today, so that wraps it up for me. So far I feel fine; pretty much a non-event. My arm doesn't seem as sore as it was with the first shot. I'm still trying to get the hang of the lymphedema "manual lymph drainage massage." Apparently I use too much pressure and movements are too fast. (Just want to get it over with!!) It actually seems kind of silly and I have to wonder if this really is effective. Who comes up with this stuff??
All my 6 pairs of glasses, 3 MJ sun, 3 regular are all the same prescription progressive lens and are 6 years old. My prescription has never changed since cataract removal and laser treatment. I don't go to an optometrist anymore, just the big mac daddy eye disease and surgeon MD. Forgot what they are called.
I have to do a massage under my right arm to help lymph drainage. It does help especially on days I go braless most of the day. It seems my tight compression high-sided sports bras eliminate the need for the massage but if worn too long the straps cause shoulder impingement. The way the PT showed me was to go clockwise, starting on the side at breast bottom, over to center and up slowly to top in armpit then slightly up on arm, then out and over arm/chest muscle, then gently down breast side and repeat. The MLD massage seems to work for me as I haven't had swelling since I pulled back the reins and learned to move up under the arm slower and actually pause briefly with a bit more pressure as I cross the arm/chest muscle.
I see my retinal ophthalmologist next Wednesday and I'm a little concerned about my eye. It has progressed from light flashes in the interior corner to now having what appears to be a "bubble" floating across my vision periodically. Ugh. I hope that stupid bleed isn't getting worse.
I'm certainly no expert, but I've been instructed to "open" some main lymph drainage points (neck, torso, groin) before proceeding to the axilla and arm. The PT told me the "stroke" should not be any more pressure than stroking a newborn's head. The skin should stretch slightly with a count of 2, then release. Lymph channels are just under the skin and don't need much pressure at all, which is difficult for me... I want to PUSH it out of there!! Here's a vid from MDA for the upper extremities...
Valentines Day prep for my hubby without leaving the house: 1. Ordered card from Amazon 2. Ordered short sleeved shirts and Levis from Macy's 3. Ordered giant heart-shaped box of Turtles candy to be delivered with groceries Done.
Saw the retinal specialist today for followup, and the outcome was good. The "bleed" is smaller and he said it appears to be self-resolving, thank goodness. So he has released me and said to return in 3 months just for a look-see. He also said I can proceed with a regular eye exam for new glasses with the optometrist. (Edit to add: I recently read on the MD Anderson website that the eye "flashes" and other issues CAN be related to chemo and radiation treatment though the ophthalmologist didn't think so.) In other news, my hair is actually growing pretty fast. I've got "chemo curls" and it really gives me that "Sophia" from Golden Girls look. I'm going to call my hair dresser for a cut to shape things up and go for more of a "Jamie Lee Curtis" thing. It's just so great to have hair again. I just used my Oxo mandoline to slice new potatoes to make scalloped potatoes for dinner. I managed to not cut myself so a small victory. Of course I had minced some onion to put in the dish but when I got it all assembled and into the oven, I noticed the little pile of onions still sitting on the cutting board. Sigh.